For Nora Medina it started when she was yanked off a gorgeous Hawaiian beach, still in her bikini top, and onto her ex-husband’s government jet. A microbiologist doesn’t see a lot of emergency extractions, but marriage to Deacan Devlin McDougall taught her plenty about adrenaline. Nora knows it’s more than their unfinished business that has brought the sexy, maddening Scot back into her life. But she’d never have guessed this.

As a soldier of fortune, Deke has seen too much by any standards. But the terrifying bacterium sneaking through the highest halls of power isn’t his kind of battle. All he can do is keep close to his brilliant, fiery Nora and fight like hell to keep her safe. Because if he lets her get sucked down by the horror that’s coming, he’ll never get another chance at her heart . . .

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Top customer reviews

This is the prequel novella to The Scorpius Syndrome series, how it all began.

“At some point, human beings are done.” The scientists know that man’s time on this earth is finite, someday the human race will face an extinction level event but will they as the dinosaurs succumb or will there be survivors? And how will such an apocalypse come to pass? The premise of this novella, this series, is chillingly plausible, meteorites do hit the earth often. If one carried a deadly bacteria resistant to our medications then a true pandemic would quickly encompass the globe. Many will die from the infection but what would the world be like if some were transformed as our own nature fights back?

Deacan McDougall is a soldier through and through, he appears to be a man out of time, a descendent of Scottish Highlanders with a warrior’s soul. But perhaps he was born in the perfect time, born to the human race for what they are about to face. “We’ve forgotten that living and surviving are two different things. They require different skills.” Fighting a pathogen is outside his realm but he has the resources to pull in any scientist that might be able to help including his ex-wife. Leaving her was a mistake he wants to rectify, he’s been incomplete without her so he’ll take this forced chance to get back into her life permanently as they strive to save the world.

Literally plucked off of a Hawaiian beach Nora Medina, a microbiologist, is annoyed to find her ex-husband is responsible for her extraction until she learns of the space born bacteria that has started to spread among the population and its mortality rate. Not a government supporter, she fears the bacteria might be weaponized once they’ve found a cure but that won’t stop her from helping save lives. Being around her ex-husband will be an emotional trial, he’s not a man a woman can forget and no man has come close to making her feel what he does. Can the love they still feel be their second chance?

With the world falling apart Deacan and Nora can’t help but realize the true brevity of existence, life as they’ve known it will never be the same again. These two lovers who were always meant to be together are reunited during a time of crisis and overcome the reasons they separated, reasons that no longer matter in the scheme of the world’s new reality, together, they’ll fight and face what’s coming.

Not having read books in this series before but intrigued by the blurbs, I decided to start with the prequel which left me wanting so much more. This novella is filled with great interesting characters, intense emotions, constant action/suspense plus a plausible scenario with much intrigue. I definitely loved it, and I’m looking forward to reading more in the series. This reader hopes to see more of Nora and Deacan, they have their personal HEA but will they survive this Armageddon in the long run?

I’ve always wanted the complete backstory of how the Scorpius pandemic began and Ms. Zanetti came through. She gives us not only a play by play of where the pandemic stemmed from, but how it spread so quickly and how Lynne ended up with a blue heart. Since Ms. Z is obviously an over achiever, she also gave us a nice, hot, romance while she was at it. Deke is the founder and leader of the Brigade, Nora is Lynne’s best friend and both are talked about by Lynne in the previously written books of the series. This is their story.

I’m not a huge second chance romance fan, especially if it’s one with a previously divorced couple, but Deacon alone made this worth stepping out of my comfort zone. Truly, how can you go wrong with a guy who is practically a modern day highland warrior complete with the sexy brogue to go with it? Really all he was missing was the kilt (which does not mean I was not imagining him in one while I was reading- just a small little wardrobe change I decided was desperately needed). His one purpose in life was to protect and he was very good at it, proven by becoming the President’s confidant and protector.

Nora is Lynne’s (Mercury Striking) best friend. A private sector microbiologist, she and her team are pulled in to help Lynne find a cure for the new bacterium that has been unleashed on the United States. I liked Nora, but, she was a bit too naïve in some of her beliefs especially against what Deacon stood for as a soldier. She grew on me as things progressed but she never completely won me over.

What did win me over was the almost electric pull between Nora and Deacon, and once they started getting it on… goodness me it was hot.

I enjoyed Scorpius Rising, especially the action and suspense aspects of it. With this being a prequel, it had an almost Titanic movie feel to it. You just know that iceberg is coming and it’s not going to end well.

As much as I loved the book, the HFN (relationship wise) ending had me searching for Deke and Nora’s names in the other books in the series to make sure I hadn’t forgotten something. Although together, their story is not complete and I want it now!